Responsibilities, Opportunities, and Challenges for Human Factors in the Digital Age

Today’s challenges for scientific publications require operating at a time when trust in science depends upon effective vetting of data, identifying questionable practices, and scrutinizing research. The Editor-in-Chief has an invaluable opportunity to influence the direction and reputation of our field but also has the responsibility to confront contemporary trends that threaten the publication of quality research. The editor is responsible for maintaining strict scientific standards for the journal through the exercise of good judgment and steadfast commitment to upholding the highest ethical principles. Opportunities exist to create and implement new initiatives for improving the peer review process and elevating the journal’s stature. The journal must address the challenges as well as effectively communicate with the public, who seek a reliable source of information.

Attention Limitations in the Detection and Identification of Alarms in Close Temporal Proximity

Objective The aim of this study was to establish the effects of simultaneous and asynchronous masking on the detection and identification of visual and auditory alarms in close temporal proximity. Background In complex and highly coupled systems, malfunctions can trigger numerous alarms within a short period of time. During such alarm floods, operators may fail to detect and identify alarms due to asynchronous and simultaneous masking. To date, the effects of masking on detection and identification have been studied almost exclusively for two alarms during single-task performance. This research examines 1) how masking affects alarm detection and identification in multitask environments and 2) whether those effects increase as a function of the number of alarms. Method Two experiments were conducted using a simulation of a drone-based package delivery service. Participants were required to ensure package delivery and respond to visual and auditory alarms associated with eight drones. The alarms were presented at various stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs). The dependent measures included alarm detection rate, identification accuracy, and response time. Results Masking was observed intramodally and cross-modally for visual and auditory alarms. The SOAs at which asynchronous masking occurred were longer than reported in basic research on masking. The effects of asynchronous and, even more so, simultaneous masking became stronger as the number of alarms increased. Conclusion Masking can lead to breakdowns in the detection and identification of alarms in close temporal proximity in complex data-rich domains. Application The findings from this research provide guidance for the design of alarm systems.

Do Real-Time Strategy Video Gamers Have Better Attentional Control?

Objective Do real-time strategy (RTS) video gamers have better attentional control? To examine this issue, we tested experienced versus inexperienced RTS video gamers on multi-object tracking tasks (MOT) and dual-MOT tasks with visual or auditory secondary tasks (dMOT). We employed a street-crossing task with a visual working memory task as a secondary task in a virtual reality (VR) environment to examine any generalized attentional advantage. Background Similar to action video games, RTS video games require players to switch attention between multiple visual objects and views. However, whether the attentional control advantage is limited by sensory modalities or generalizes to real-life tasks remains unclear. Method In study 1, 25 RTS video game players (SVGP) and 25 non-video game players (NVGP) completed the MOT task and two dMOT tasks. In study 2, a different sample with 25 SVGP and 25 NVGP completed a simulated street-crossing task with the visual dual task in a VR environment. Results After controlling the effects of the speed-accuracy trade-off, SVGP showed better performance than NVGP in the MOT task and the visual dMOT task, but SVGP did not perform better in either the auditory dMOT task or the street-crossing task. Conclusion RTS video gamers had better attentional control in visual computer tasks, but not in the auditory tasks and the VR tasks. Attentional control benefits associated with RTS video game experience may be limited by sensory modalities, and may not translate to performance benefits in real-life tasks.

Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare: Industry Demands and a Path Forward

This article reviews three industry demands that will impact the future of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare settings. These demands include the growing population of older adults, the increasing use of telemedicine, and a focus on patient-centered care. Following, we discuss a path forward through improved medical teams, error management, and safety testing of medical devices and tools. Future challenges are discussed.

The Perception of Automation Reliability and Acceptance of Automated Advice

Objective Examine (1) the extent to which humans can accurately estimate automation reliability and calibrate to changes in reliability, and how this is impacted by the recent accuracy of automation; and (2) factors that impact the acceptance of automated advice, including true automation reliability, reliability perception, and the difference between an operator’s perception of automation reliability and perception of their own reliability. Background Existing evidence suggests humans can adapt to changes in automation reliability but generally underestimate reliability. Cognitive science indicates that humans heavily weight evidence from more recent experiences. Method Participants monitored the behavior of maritime vessels (contacts) in order to classify them, and then received advice from automation regarding classification. Participants were assigned to either an initially high (90%) or low (60%) automation reliability condition. After some time, reliability switched to 75% in both conditions. Results Participants initially underestimated automation reliability. After the change in true reliability, estimates in both conditions moved towards the common true reliability, but did not reach it. There were recency effects, with lower future reliability estimates immediately following incorrect automation advice. With lower initial reliability, automation acceptance rates tracked true reliability more closely than perceived reliability. A positive difference between participant assessments of the reliability of automation and their own reliability predicted greater automation acceptance. Conclusion Humans underestimate the reliability of automation, and we have demonstrated several critical factors that impact the perception of automation reliability and automation use. Application The findings have potential implications for training and adaptive human-automation teaming.

Force Control Strategy of Five-Digit Precision Grasping With Aligned and Unaligned Configurations

Objective To investigate the digit force control during a five-digit precision grasp in aligned (AG) and unaligned grasping (UG) configurations. Background The effects of various cylindrical handles for tools on power grasp performance have been previously investigated. However, there is little information on force control strategy of precision grasp to fit various grasping configurations. Method Twenty healthy young adults were recruited to perform a lift-hold-lower task. The AG and UG configurations on a cylindrical simulator with force transducers were adjusted for each individual. The applied force and moment, the force variability during holding, and force correlations between thumb and each finger were measured. Result No differences in applied force, force correlation, repeatability, and variability were found between configurations. However, the moments applied in UG were significantly larger than those in AG. Conclusion The force control during precision grasp did not change significantly across AG and UG except for the digit moment. The simulator is controlled efficiently with large moment during UG, which is thus the optimal configuration for precision grasping with a cylindrical handle. Further research should consider the effects of task type and handle design on force control, especially for individuals with hand disorders. Application To design the handle of specific tool, one should consider the appropriate configuration according to the task requirements of precision grasping to reduce the risk of accumulating extra loads on digits with a cylindrical handle.

Designing Combinations of Pictogram and Text Size for Icons: Effects of Text Size, Pictogram Size, and Familiarity on Older Adults’ Visual Search Performance

Objective This study aimed to determine suitable combinations of text and pictogram sizes for older adults and investigated the visual prioritization of pictogram versus text. Background Icons have become an indispensable part of application (app) design. Pictogram size and text size of icons influence the usability of apps, especially by aged users. However, few studies have investigated the influences of different pictogram and text size combinations on readability, legibility, and visual search performance for older adults. Method This study used eye-tracking technology to investigate the effects of different pictogram and text size combinations as well as familiarity on readability, legibility, and visual search performance for older adults. A 3 (pictogram size) × 3 (text size) × 2 (familiarity) repeated-measures experimental design was used. Results The results of this study suggest that pictogram size and text size significantly affect visual search performance and that familiarity moderates the effect of text size on distribution of fixation duration proportion for text and pictograms. Conclusion Large pictogram and text sizes improved the readability and legibility of icons for older adults. Furthermore, the older adults fixated the area of text prior to pictograms when the pictogram size was larger than 72 × 72 px (1.38° × 1.38°) in the visual search task. Application The results of this study suggest using different combinations of pictogram and text sizes for older adults under different scenarios. The findings of this study act as practical support for designers and developers of mobile apps for older adults.

Encumbered and Traditional Anthropometry of Law Enforcement Officers for Vehicle Workspace and Protective Equipment Design

Objectives This study investigated anthropometric changes of national law enforcement officers (LEOs) in 46 years, compared the differences between LEO data and civilian anthropometry, and identified the magnitude of differences in dimensions measured with gear versus semi-nude measurements. Background The best available 46-year-old anthropometric dataset of LEOs has largely become outdated due to demographic changes. Additionally, anthropometric data of female LEOs and LEO measurements with gear are lacking. Method Thirty-four traditional body dimensions and 15 with gear measurements of 756 male and 218 female LEOs were collected through a stratified national survey using a data collection trailer that traveled across the U.S. and the data were compared to the LEO anthropometric data from 1975 and existing civilian anthropometric databases. Results LEO body size and shape have evolved over the past 46 years - an increase of 12.2 kg in body weight, 90 mm in chest circumference, and 120 mm in waist circumference for men. No previous data was available for comparison for females. Compared to civilians, both male and female LEOs have a larger upper body build. LEO gear added 91 mm in waist breadth for men and 120 mm for women, and 11 kg in weight for men and 9 kg for women. Conclusion The study reveals that equipment design based on the existing civilian datasets or 46-year-old LEO dataset would not accommodate the current LEO population. The new data fill this gap. Application: The differences reported above are important for LEO body gear, vehicle console, and vehicle ingress/egress design.

The Effects of Animation on the Guessability of Universal Healthcare Symbols for Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate whether animation can help to improve the comprehension of universal healthcare symbols for middle-aged and older adults. Background The Hablamos Juntos (HJ) healthcare symbol system is a set of widely used universal healthcare symbols that were developed in the United States. Some studies indicated that HJ healthcare symbols are not well-understood by users in non-English-speaking areas. Other studies found that animations can improve users’ comprehension of complex symbols. Thus, we wanted to test whether animation could help to improve users’ comprehension of HJ symbols. Methods The participants included 40 middle-aged and 40 older adults in Taiwan. We redesigned the 12 HJ symbols into three visual formats—static, basic animation, and detailed animation—and compared them to find which best improved the participants’ guessability scores. Results (1) Middle-aged adults’ comprehension of static and basic animated symbols was significantly better than that of older adults, but there was no significant difference in the guessability scores between the two age groups in terms of detailed animated symbols; (2) In general, both basic animation and detailed animation significantly improved the guessability score, but the effect with detailed animation was significantly greater than that with basic animation; (3) Older women were more receptive to detailed animation and showed better guessing performance. Conclusion Detailed animation contains more details and provides a more complete explanation of the concept of the static symbols, helping to improve the comprehension of HJ symbols for middle-aged and older adult users. Application Our findings provide a reference for the possibility of new style symbol design in the digital and aging era, which can be applied to improve symbol comprehension.